This invention relates to a tufting machine, and more particularly to a tufting machine for forming low pile.
In conventional multiple-needle tufting machines, the entire looper apparatus is located beneath the needle plate fingers. In a cut pile machine, the height of the pile loops is determined by the depth of the looper cutting edge below the base fabric. Normally this is adjusted by varying the distance from the top of the needle plate to the looper cutting edge by adjusting the height of the needle plate relative to the loopers.
In the trend in the tufting industry toward finer gauges, more yarn loops are concentrated per unit area of the tufted fabric, thus increasing the density of the yarn. Moreover, the pile weight is increased with the height of the pile yarn. Therefore, in order to produce a denser, longer wearing tufted fabric, without unduly increasing pile weight, it is necessary to use finger gauges and lower pile height. In the past, minimum pile heights have been limited by interference between loopers and needle plate fingers.